The Ford Barn

burner31 · 01-30-2016, 02:06 PM

Can anyone tell me what's going on with the shims?
Does this mean the spindle is bad or are these shims just part and parcel of the bad steering arms.
I'll be ordering new arms, but these shims have me questioning the spindle.
The spindles have 2-3 mil play when I shake by the top and bottom of the drum

wrndln · 01-30-2016, 02:26 PM

Does the other steering arm have shims on it? You could switch the arms to see which is the problem - the arms or the spindle.
Rusty Nelson

Mitch//pa · 01-30-2016, 03:37 PM

Ok now we have 2 threads of the same thing.....Keith u must be getting old. Lol

tbirdtbird · 01-30-2016, 03:48 PM

that is not a traditionally acceptable place to use shims, and will only get worse, and be dangerous in the meantime. The car was run with the nuts being improperly torqued for a long time

burner31 · 01-30-2016, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

Ok now we have 2 threads of the same thing.....Keith u must be getting old. Lol

Yes I am Mitch, very tired today, things are kind of hazy.
Now back to the arms, are they a tight fit in the spindles or kind of loose?
After cleaning the holes out in the spindle these arms fit very loose.
Is that OK? Can I just put new arms in and torque them down, or are the spindles gone?

Getting old can sometimes wear you out, but if I knew getting old was so much fun I would have done it years ago.

COOTER · 02-01-2016, 11:10 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

My front bearing races were shimmed the same way. Unacceptable.

larrys40 · 02-01-2016, 02:02 PM

Sounds like you need a front axle rebuild from someone who can check all parts for wear and fit. If you have spindle bolt wear that's one thing that needs to be fixed but the
steering arms can be either spindle holes oversize from being loose or the arms themselves.
There should be no shims on the arms or bearings.

Looks like and sounds like you need a good front end rebuild
Larry Shepard

C26Pinelake · 02-01-2016, 05:23 PM

Your shims are a bandaid rather than a fix. Do it correct and be safe! Wayne

burner31 · 02-10-2016, 02:50 PM

Update:
Installed the new steering arms, fit nice and snug.
The ones that were in it must have been used and worn when the last owner used shims to install them.
Either he was a farmer on a tight budget, or a cheap ass idiot.

Big hammer · 02-10-2016, 04:22 PM

D all of the above, glad you fixed it right! :-)

01-30-2016, 02:26 PM	#2
wrndln Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lakeville, MN Posts: 5,162	Re: Look at my steering arms - photo Does the other steering arm have shims on it? You could switch the arms to see which is the problem - the arms or the spindle. Rusty Nelson

01-30-2016, 03:37 PM	#3
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: Look at my steering arms - photo Ok now we have 2 threads of the same thing.....Keith u must be getting old. Lol Last edited by Mitch//pa; 01-30-2016 at 03:42 PM.

01-30-2016, 03:48 PM	#4
tbirdtbird BANNED Join Date: May 2012 Location: inside your RAM Posts: 3,134	Re: Look at my steering arms - photo that is not a traditionally acceptable place to use shims, and will only get worse, and be dangerous in the meantime. The car was run with the nuts being improperly torqued for a long time __________________ '31 180A

02-01-2016, 11:10 AM	#6
COOTER Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ontario, CA Posts: 187	Re: Look at my steering arms - photo Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) My front bearing races were shimmed the same way. Unacceptable.

02-01-2016, 02:02 PM	#7
larrys40 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: St Charles , Missouri Posts: 1,998	Re: Look at my steering arms - photo Sounds like you need a front axle rebuild from someone who can check all parts for wear and fit. If you have spindle bolt wear that's one thing that needs to be fixed but the steering arms can be either spindle holes oversize from being loose or the arms themselves. There should be no shims on the arms or bearings. Looks like and sounds like you need a good front end rebuild Larry Shepard

02-01-2016, 05:23 PM	#8
C26Pinelake BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Michigan / Ontario border, Sarnia, Ontario. 50 miles from Detroit and 150 from Toronto. Posts: 5,800	Re: Look at my steering arms - photo Your shims are a bandaid rather than a fix. Do it correct and be safe! Wayne

02-10-2016, 02:50 PM	#9
burner31 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Shawnee, Ok Posts: 3,471	Re: Look at my steering arms - photo Update: Installed the new steering arms, fit nice and snug. The ones that were in it must have been used and worn when the last owner used shims to install them. Either he was a farmer on a tight budget, or a cheap ass idiot. __________________ Keith Shawnee OK '31 SW 160-B

02-10-2016, 04:22 PM	#10
Big hammer Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Land of Lincoln Posts: 3,131	Re: Look at my steering arms - photo D all of the above, glad you fixed it right! :-)